That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered together about the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him pursued him, and they found him and said to him, "Every one is searching for you." And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came out." And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
Mark 1:32–39 (RSV)
'And he would not permit the demons to speak because they knew him.' It should not be too great a surprise that the demons knew Jesus and no one else does. The demons had once been in the Divine Presence. They lost that blessing when they were cast out of heaven, but they could never forget it.
Where so many humans could only see the man, the demons saw the divine and human natures in the perfection of oneness that is the Incarnation. The demons could see the future of humankind in Jesus. They could see the redeemed and restored nature that was lost in the Garden.
Jesus would have them silent as they fled from their victims. They were not worthy of announcing that Jesus is the Son of God. The sweetness of the Gospel could not be on their lips. Jesus reserved the proclamation of the Good News to His disciples. He reserved it for us to proclaim.
St. Peter spoke the truth, though he did not know it at the time: 'Everyone is searching for You,'. St. Peter wanted Jesus to deal with the crowds pursuing them all over Galilee. Though unknowing, he prophesied the great truth. Everyone is searching for Jesus.
We are searching for the One who will do more than heal our bodies or cast out demons. We are searching for the One who will bring us salvation. We are searching for the clarity of the soul that allows us to see Jesus.